The “Before” Pic
They did it! 200 miles in 3 days! We have so far raised over £2300 for Bristol Children’s Hospital. A pheomenal result. Very big congratulations to the team from Longlevens Chiropractic & Sports Injury Clinic, Gloucester. And exceptionally big thanks to all those of you who have sponsored us!!!
Well done Kate on achieving your Level 2 Fitness Instruction qualification! In her own words, Rehab at this clinic just got EVEN better.
This is a professionally recognized qualification that enables Kate to prescribe exercise inside or outside a gym environment. She completed detailed anatomy and physiology modules including principles of fitness and exercise, and received further training on how to put exercise programs together that best suit the needs and expectations of individuals working towards specific goals.
Within a rehab environment this enables her to accurately and specifically alter and adapt individuals’ programs if necessary, and to tailor rehab precisely to each person depending on their body’s response to the exercises.
It’s a 60 miler this weekend for the guys as they build up to their big Charity Cycle Challenge on 28th June. If you see them out and about please give them a wave!!!
Want to offer your team or employees the chance to talk to one of our Chiropractors, on-site, for free?
Invite us to your event!! :)
We love holding demo stands and getting to meet you all!
Our hosts seem to love it to!: “It was a pleasure to have you on site again. … We will of course get you involved again at the earliest opportunity”.
The 30 mile practice route!
Kate West Cycling!
Saturday the 27th April at 8.30 am we were set to rendezvous at the Longlevens Chiropractic Clinic and set off on our 30 mile practice route in preparation for the big 200 miler at the end of June.
We were short a couple of people but Simon, Pat, Doddy, John, Russell and I made it and managed to set off at 9am. After a few miles through Gloucester we were on B roads out in the beautiful countryside going through Sandhurst and Norton. The route was mostly flat but a little windy at times, which did cause some difficulty on my part! I was also trying out my clipless pedals and shoes (thanks to Russell who fitted them for me!) for the first time but there were NO falls………I am extremely proud!
As we came to the outskirts of Tibberton, I hit my wall and had to sit down to have a sugary snack! …Yes the only girl on the ride and the ONLY one to need snack time!
Hartpury had the toughest hill but it was totally worth it for the downhill into Maisemore; it was stunning.
The last leg was back through Gloucester, past Kingsholm and into the Clinic car park…….feeling a little sore in areas!
It was a great ride and definitely helped prepare all of us for what is to come. We certainly need to keep up the training!
Bring on the 26th May for the 40 miler!!
To Sponsor the Longlevens Chiro Charity Bike Ride Challenge please visit www.justgiving.com/longlevenschiro . Thank you all for your support!
Dear All,
He’s doing it again…! Two years on (yes really, already, two years on!) from his sponsored walk, which saw him walk the entire 102 mile Cotswold Way in three days, Simon et al are embarking upon their next sponsored adventure and challenge, in aid of Bristol Children’s Hospital. Having already walked the 3 peaks and completed the Cotswold Way, what, I hear you ask, could Simon possibly be organising next…?
I shall tell you. On 27th June Simon and his friends are cycling a 200 mile route around the Severn Basin that starts at Gloucester and takes them through Hay on Wye, the Brecon Beacons, Newport, Chepstow and back to Gloucester, IN 3 DAYS… Yes you did read that right – 200 miles in 3 days…! (Donations of spare doughnut cushions also gratefully received, in addition to sponsorship monies, by the way ….).
Why go to such great pains for Bristol Children’s Hospital? Because it saved our son’s life. In fact, both of our sons have received surgery there, but in particular we raise money every 2 years for Bristol Children’s Hospital to thank them for looking after Edward and saving his life with corrective open heart surgery when he was 6 months old. He’s doing really well right now, but Edward will need further corrective surgery in his teens, most likely in Bristol.
If you are fortunate enough never to have needed to set foot inside the place, then you might not realise what an important, crucial and life saving place it is, or that at the moment, Bristol Children’s Hospital’s Wallace and Gromit Appeal is saving money to buy pioneering equipment rivalling some of the best in the world, for their Children’s Cardiac Theatre, which we may well need one day.
Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal (http://www.grandappeal.org.uk) was established in 1995 and has since raised over £21 million to support a wide range of life-saving medical equipment, family accommodation, and patient comforts, along with a programme of arts, music, education and play facilities in the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children.
The Grand Appeal is entirely independent from the NHS and receives no statutory funding, relying entirely on the generous support of the local community, businesses, grant-making trusts and other philanthropic organisations and individuals. We are proud to be a part of that. You can be too.
All you have to do is sponsor Simon and his friends on another one of his mad-cap ventures and sit back and watch….! Couldn’t be easier! It might even be mildly entertaining….. ! (More so for us than for them I daresay – although they always seem to enjoy themselves on these jaunts, despite the discomfort/pain/agony etc etc etc).
So please, help us continue to support Bristol Children’s Hospital to provide world-class care to patients from all over the South West and South Wales. Help us to help them save children’s lives, provide the best possible patient care and keep families together, by donating to The Grand Appeal via Simon’s sponsorship page: www.justgiving.com.longlevenschiro .
Do it now – while you think of it, and help us to motivate this very brave and selfless team.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
Leah Rose (Edwards mummy…)
This year for Chiropractic Awareness Week the British Chiropractic Association is focusing on taking care of your back as parents/guardians. We have some great advice on our Advice and Media page. You can obtain this in handout format from our clinic reception – do pop in if you would like to pick one up.
To celebrate Chiropractic Awareness Week we are launching one or two competitions to win a free massage therapy session – to enter make sure you either like our facebook page, follow us on twitter or put a completed feedback form into our competition entry box at reception!
Lastly – keep an eye out for us in the local paper….!
The British Chiropractic Association has some great tips to help avoid any problems with your back and posture this Easter:
DIY projects:
People in some parts of the UK are unlikely to be gardening, but there will be plenty of indoor projects to be getting on with.
When using a ladder or steps, make sure you are always facing it, keeping your shoulders, hips and knees pointing in the same direction.
Rather than leaning or reaching, move the ladder or step regularly to keep up with where you are. Any kind of ladder must be firmly and safely planted in position and, if possible, have someone else there to keep an eye on things.
If you are painting a ceiling, think about getting the largest amount of paint on in the shortest space of time. Use a paint pad or roller with an extended handle and hold it at chest height. Keep your head as neutral as possible and keep facing forward so you don’t over exert your neck. If you can lie down – do!
Plan ahead – If you are planning a trip to the local DIY store to buy heavy items such as cement or gravel, buy smaller bags rather than one big bag as they are easier and safer to carry. If buying in bulkier amounts, shovel the contents of the large bags straight into smaller containers or wheelbarrow from the back of the car.
If having items delivered, have them unloaded as close to where you need them as possible; this will save the effort of moving them again.
Travelling:
If you are flying, drink plenty of water and NOT alcohol during the flight as this will cause dehydration, which could aggravate muscle pain.
Whether travelling by plane, train or car – you will be restricted in your seat for most of the journey, but avoid stiffness by doing shoulder shrugs, buttock clenches and foot circles.
If on a train or plane, try to stand up and move around every 20-40 minutes or, when you stop for a petrol/food break on a car journey, take the opportunity to just stretch and shake out your limbs to allow your muscles to relax.
Compensate for your prolonged time of inactivity during the journey by doing light exercise – just going for a brisk 20 minute walk once you have arrived at your destination will help
Staying at home:
Although the TV schedules are likely to have plenty to please or you may want to spend time playing your latest computer game, try to avoid sitting for long periods; take a break at least every 40 minutes.
Make the most of the leisure time and fit some exercise in – whether it be a run, time at the gym or going for a walk with friends and family. Active games such as Wii, Kinect or old fashioned favourites like Twister will help keep you moving!
Happy Easter!!
Lots of you have been asking us for more information about anti-inflammatory diets recently. We’re very interested in nutrition and believe that following an anti-inflammatory diet can bring great health benefits. So, for all those of you who would like more information here is a good starting point provided by Danny Adams:
This diet is ideal for both Athletes and the general public but be aware that some of these recommendations may not apply to people with certain diseases and it is worth mentioning any concerns or diet changes you’d like to make with your consultant.
The majority of the population eats a diet with completely the wrong balance of nutrients, vitamins and minerals along with an unhealthy balance of pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory foods. A pro-inflammatory food is one that contains Omega-6 fatty acids, an anti-inflammatory food is one that contains Omega-3 fatty acids. Pro to Anti- inflammatory food ratio should be 1:1, the ratio of the average United States diet is 25:1 (as an Englishman, may I state how similar our diets are to the US with studies showing recently that we have the most obese population of women in Europe and the second most obese population of men second only to Malta which is basically a mini England as it has so many ex-pats from our country. In my opinion our ratios should therefore be considered similar).
An unequal ratio of pro to anti-inflammatory foods can lead to slower recovery and healing rates and is linked with the increased chance of onset of a host of diseases, from Depression to various types of Arthritis.
Maintaining your current diet may be exacerbating a condition or injury that you currently have. (E.g an ongoing shoulder problem, back pain, menstrual irregularities, chronic disease)
By changing your diet now you may feel a difference within one or two weeks. Now that I have covered the benefits of changing your diet, I will explain what is recommended:
Eliminating grains and unhealthy snacks: including bread (E.g Whole wheat bread pro- to anti-inflammatory ratio is 27:1!!) and Crisps (ratio 60:1).
Increase fruit and veg: Broccoli (ratio 1:3), Kale (ratio 1:1.3), Fish (ratio 1:1 to 1:7)
Increase Anti-oxidants/phytonutrients to battle inevitable free radicals as a result of our systemic processes: adding supplements of Vitamin C, E, lipolic acid and Coenzyme Q10 to a diet rich in fruit and veg.
Increase Potassium intake: Achieved with increased fruit and veg and decreased grains as already mentioned.
Consider taking daily supplements that are lacking in the modern diet: recommended are; Multivitamins, Magnesium (1000mg/day), omega-3/fish oil (1000mg/day), if older than 25 yrs take Coenzyme Q10 (100mg/day for 6 years has been found safe).
Try to achieve a Carbohydrate: Protein: Fat ratio of 40:20:40
Recommended fluids are water, red wine (small amount and disease dependent, i.e may exacerbate gout) and decaf green tea
Meats and protein recommended are those that are grass and not grain fed, including the chickens that lay the eggs! (the packaging must state grass fed as otherwise the product is highly like to be grain fed)
Recommended cooking oils are Organic extra virgin olive oil, butter, and coconut oil.
Recommended desserts include fruit with half or heavy cream (berries and cherries for example)
Eliminate foods containing refined sugars (sweets etc) to avoid diabetes and hyperinsulinemia (syndrome X).
Try to eat organic and stop smoking if you are a smoker.
If you have suffered an injury from a sport then proteolytic enzymes are recommended: Bromelain daily 200-2000mg taken immediately after injury for no longer than a week.
My Experience:
This all sounds like a lot of work and a bit extreme, I tried it on myself for a couple of weeks to see how I felt and to see were potential hurdles occurred. I did notice a mild increase in energy (mainly because I realised just how tired I was when I stopped the diet after two weeks). My main hurdle was breakfast, as no grains means no bread or cereal (English staple breakfast). I ended up eating a large amount of eggs which did become rather sickly as I began to dislike the texture. I stopped after 2 weeks as I lost quite a bit of weight (not bad, but not intended). I am about to start again, the plan this time is that for breakfast I will be varying the way I cook my eggs and to pre-prepare or buy canned fruit and fruit salad for a change at breakfast time. I will also increase my portions of fruit and veg to avoid losing weight, I’ll let you know how I get on!
References: Hyde, T.E, Gegenbach, M.S (2007). Conservative management of sports injuries. 2nd ed. London: Jones and Bartlett. 1067-1092.
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